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Ok, I didn't want to respond until I could build a map... sort of (Sorry for the poor artistic skills). I actually like Testa's original concept, but I wanted to add a few ideas on to it. I am also ignoring the geographic/political issues that exists in getting projects started/funded for this concept map.

Few quick notes to spot out...
- I am opting to remove a LRT line across the northern arc in an effort to use existing HRT resources to make fast transit connections between North Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb.
-I also believe a few stations should be restructured to allow for passing tracks, so the existing HRT track can use express and local service in some areas.
-I also have not placed stations, except for main ones.
-I took out the northwest portion of the beltline, because an extremely short HRT extension and infill stations would provide better service than building a parallel LRT line.
-I built bridge connections, so a North-Northeast line could be run on existing track (same for NW-NE and NW-Perimeter)
-I feel it is important to build relatively short (but traffic seperated) LRT lines around major activity centers to develop density (Gwinnett Place, Marietta, Cumberland, Perimeter, Midtown/Colony Square)
-In the Map the thicker lines are HRT and the thinner lines are LRT.
-I swapped the direction of the Green and Blue lines on the east side, since the Green Line is limited to 2-car trains with an option to easily build out to 4-car trains

I've learned from the most recent Beltline Environmental Study meetings in the NW corridor that it's actually pretty difficult to get some of the existing freight rail lines to open up space for passenger rail. Both CSX and Norfolk-Southern are expecting to use even more of the current rail lines for additional freight. Norfolk-Southern flat out said the Beltline couldn't use their corridor for building a new passenger rail line. CSX said they could maybe accommodate, but they weren't sure. So, for now anyway, the Beltline is proceeding with plans to have alternate rail lines that don't follow the freight lines exactly, at least in the NW part of town. These alternate lines would actually go along some of the city streets. (The alternate for Norfolk-Southern, for example, would go through Atlantic Station and run up along Deering into Buckhead.)

JMO here, but I got the impression the Beltline folks were pushing more of a streetcar-type transit rather than light rail.

Good catch.

I am extremely pro-commuter rail. It is extremely cheap and it targets commuters during high-capacity travel times. In my map I drew a box to the northwest. There is a huge rail junction there that is extremely congested on the freight rail lines that would need to be restructured to allow for more freight and commuter rail to downtown. In the freight rail reports that come out the busiest lines by far are to the NW going towards Chattanooga/Rust Belt. One of the reasons Fulton Industrial is such a a big industrial area is their access to the NW rail lines w/o going through that junction. It is also one reason why the Concept 3 plan doesn't show much commuter rail to the Northwest, but a good bit to the south and Northeast.

For these reasons I kinda wish the Beltline would ditch plans to make a full loop and would use a green line extension w/ infill stations to keep the same coverage the original beltline LRT would, but skip the costs of crossing the freight rails.

It is also why I want a multi-modal station near Armour Yard. Commuter rail could be started on 3 lines going to the North east and the east (Gwinnett, Dekalb, Rockdale) w/o needing to go through the Howell Mill rail junction.

I'll try to find a link later that show the freight rail traffic/tonnage. It really shows a heavy amount of the freight traffic to the Northwest.

It truly is bizarre. I've received similar messages several times in the last few weeks. To think someone actually sits around fuming about the fact that people take pride in their city and are vocal about it is, well, weird.

I get a bunch of odd rep comments, too. Is it someone who posts here, or just a lurker?

I get a bunch of odd rep comments, too. Is it someone who posts here, or just a lurker?

I have no idea, but I got two rep comments last night, which are clearly from the same person. One is an unhinged rant about how Atlanta is always terrible, and one is about how scary it is in Atlanta because "all the black people in the country are moving here."

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